from RUS Ontario

Elora, ON — On Friday (July 24), racing under saddle made the first of two stops scheduled for Grand River Raceway.

The night was made especially exciting by the addition of race sponsor Mad Barn – Crazy good nutrition for equines. Mad Barn handed out more than 100 specially designed t-shirts and sponsored, with Grand River Raceway, a dinner giveaway and a ride in the starting gate.

The race on the track matched the excitement in the grandstand, with three riders and horses stepping alertly away from the mobile starting gate, but it was 2014 high percentage rider Marit Valstad and Cool Creek Valley wrestling the lead and dictating the fractions. Current high percentage rider Natalie Elliott and RUS equine star Thor Seelster stalked in the loose pocket position. Danish rider Karoline Nielsen aboard Lexus Hawkeye darted up the rail to secure the third spot, leaving Callie Magoo and Sharleen Macdonald cruising alone in fourth.

The race blew through solid splits and remained largely unchanged until two strides before the wire, when Marit Valstad’s charge made a late break. Through a judges placing Natalie Elliott and Thor Seelster landed in the Mad Barn sponsored winner’s circle. The win was Elliott’s third win of 2015 and Thor Seelster’s second. Valstad and Cool Creek Valley, trained by Nate Harding for owner Pat Harding, was placed second and Lexus Hawkeye, trained by Pam Forgie, who also conditions the race winner, was a game third. Lexus Hawk is owned by RUS enthusiast John Patterson.

RUS Ontario is pleased to have partnered up with Mad Barn for an exciting night at the races and will partner together for other equine related events in the future.

Looking forward Grand River Raceway will be celebrating their 25th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo on Aug. 3 and another RUS Ontario race under saddle will be featured on the undercard.